#2 The Things In My House
Molly was gone.
Hannah and Ted sat in the police station from sun up to noon being questioned. However as soon as they reluctantly mentioned the man in the park, the officers just looked at them with pity. They had spent some time searching the park, but it was a halfhearted effort. They knew they wouldn’t find her.
They told Ted that his parents were coming to pick him up and he held Hannah’s hand, shaking uncontrollably, until his mom walked in. She held him tight and told him she had left his father. Ted sobbed and clutched unto her, repeating over and over that he wanted to go home. She cried too and took him away.
Hannah sat alone in the police station. The police tried to contact her parents, but she knew they wouldn’t be able to. A few nights ago her dad had forgotten to lock the backdoor before bed. Something had come into the house that night –she saw it from under her bead– a twisted shadowy thing that’s bones cracked when it moved. Her parents were gone the next morning, but she hadn’t told anyone. No one would care anyways, that’s just how things were in Springview.
“Hannah?” and officer said, catching her attention. S
“I’ll be back,” he put his hands firmly on her shoulders, “Just sit tight for a minute.”
He hurried off and she heard his rushed voice talking down the hall. She could only continue to sit and wait, wondering what kind of thing was coming to get her. Time stretched on, officers ran back and forth but no one spoke to her. Then there was a while where no one ran by.
The next person to approach her looked like her mom, but also didn’t.
When she thought of her mom, she thought of wild auburn curls, bags under her eyes but a wide smile. Torn bell bottoms and bright t-shirts. She shuffled when she walked and snorted when she laughed. The woman that walked in had her hair straightened and pinned up, and a full face of makeup. Her floral dress swished gracefully around her legs as she walked and the clicking of her heels announced her presents. She had never seen her mother like this except in her wedding photos.
“There you are.” She gasped in perfect pitch, falling gracefuly to her knees in front of Hannah, “We’ve been looking everywhere for you sweetheart.”
Her mouth was dry and sticky, holding her tongue back from speaking. The thing that wasn’t her mother hugged her tight and smelled like the pine trees on the edge of town. The officer she had tried to ask for help stood back and watched them. She begged him with eyes, ‘Please, please don’t let this thing take me!’
He didn’t move. He didn’t try to save her, just stood back and watched the performance.
“Lets go home sweetheart,” The Thing said so soft.
“Mom doesn’t call me that.” She replied hard and cold.
The Thing smiled wide, just a bit too wide, “Your father is waiting in the car, sweetheart.”
She looked to the cop on last time, then bowed her head in surrender. She stood and followed the Thing through the station.
“Wait!” the officer called out. He darted forward and shook her hand. “You stay out of trouble you hear?”
“I-I will.” She tried to keep her voice even as she carefully took the piece of paper he pressed into her palm. The paper disappeared into her sleeve. She allowed the Thing to take her out to the car and she as hit with another jarring site. Her dad was standing by their car but he also didn’t look like himself. Her father was always shaggy. Shaggy hair, shaggy cloths, a worn out leather jacket that hed had for too long. He sang really loud and bad, then said it was “Metal”. This Thing in front of her had cut her dads hair short and combed it back, and wore a dark blue suit with a black tie. He didn’t smile when he saw her, his eyes didn’t crinkle.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” He asked arms crossed.
“…”
“Nothing at all?” He prompted again.
“…”
“Your in big trouble,” he said with no heat in voice or life in his eyes, “Get in the car.”
She stared at the door terrified if she went in she’d never come back out again, but she had no where else to go. Clutching the paper in her hand till stung, she climbed into the back seat and lowered her head.
Two monsters and a little girl rolled down the street, not saying a word. Her “Dad” didn’t even turn any music on, even though she knew his Nirvana CD was in. The silence6 churned her stomach. It went on for block after block, and the second she spotted her house she jumped out of the car. She heard her “moms” voice yell after her, the concern sounding so sincere. She kept running, shoes slapping against the pavment, then grass. Barreling through the front door, brown paneled walls blurred in her vision as she reached the safety of her bedroom. She locked the door behind her and shoved the dresser she painted pink with her mom over until it blocked the way.
The quiet rolled her stomach around inside her, scrapping up her insides while she waited. Not breathing.
